Improvement in garters



J. L. MOORE.

. GARTERS.

No .193,987. Patented ug. 7,1877.

66 61 CL A/A/AmA/ 3 tion of thesame, reference preferably as shown in Figs.

UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES L. MOORE, OF BRIDGEPQRT, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN eARTE s.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 193,987, dated August 7, 1877 application filed May 2, 1877.

To all whom it maywoncern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES L. MOORE, of Bridgeport, in. the county of Fairlield and State of Connecticut, have invented an improvement inElastic Bands for Garters and other purposes; and I do hereby declare that thefollowingis a full, clear, and exact descripbeing bad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of elastic bands made of wire coiled 'or bent to form a spring, and employed for garters for hose or as clasps to hold the sleeves of under-clothing,

for bracelets, belts, suspenders, &c.

This invention consists partly in a novel construction of the spring; partly in the combination with the spring of a flexible check attached to said spring in a novel manner; partly in a novel construction of the clasp, to provide for the more secure locking of the two parts of the same together; and partly in a novel construction of both parts of the clasp,for attaching them to the caps covering the ends of the spring.

Figure 1 in the drawing is a diagram illustrating the method of bending the wire for the spring in one stage of the manufacture of the same. Figs. 2 and 3 are diagrams illustrating the form of the spring at a more advanced stage in the manufacture of the same. Fig. 4. illustrates a modification in the method of bending the wire for the spring. Fig. 5 represents a completed band with a portion broken away in the middle thereof. *Fig. dis

a longitudinal section through the clasp, and the caps to which the two parts of the clasp are attached. Fig. 7 is an outside face View of the clasp and the caps. Fig. 8 illustrates a modification of the invention as regards the attachment of the flexible check to the spring.

In making the spring A, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5, I take wire of the proper temper and of the proper size and bend the same into the form shown in Fig. 1, consisting of a series, of uniform U-shaped bends lying in the same plane, the length of each bend being about two times the width of the elastic band it is proposed to make.

1 next bend the entire series over a former, 2 and 3, and

bring the ends aof the U-shaped loops over, or nearly-over, the central longitudinal axis of the spring on the same side, as-alsolshown: in Fig. 5.

Or I may bend the said loops overalternately first on. one side and then on the other, as indicated in the diagram in- Fig. 4; but in such case each loophas to be bent in themiddle, as shown at 0, Fig. 4., theside contour oticach, loop then resembling an elongated letter S in; its general form. But I regard the first described way of bending the loops as, preferable.

To the spring, formed as described, I attach a. check, b, Fig. 5, preferably an inelastic cord of suitable material, the attachment being performed as follows: I take a length of unextended spring, say eight inches, and extend the same to the limit I desire it to extend in use, and within which it may be extended without risk of its setting, say twelve inches. The flexible check I) is then passed spirally around and through the bentends a of the U-shaped loops of the spring A, as shown in Fig. 5, the check being wound around spirally or passed through the ends a of the loops; or I may wind the check or pass the same through the loops, as shown in Fig.8, so that it passes alternately from the outside of one loop to the inside of the next consecutive loop. In either case, when the spring A is, after winding, released from tension, it contracts and slackens the said check,'which does not affect the extension of the spring within the prescribed limits. To the extremities of the said ,spri1 1g I attach caps Figs. 5, 6, and 7. Said "capsare nearly rectangular in cross-section, and are Fig. 6, is formed in each for the insertion of one part of the clasp, as hereinafter described, the parts of the clasp being inserted in their respective caps previous to the attachment of the caps to the spring. The inner edges of the said caps have formed on them the tongues f, Figs. 5, 6, and 7 and the extremities of the spring being inserted in the said caps, the tongues f are bent down over the part of the spring lying under said tongues, the caps being thus firmly attached to the spring. r

closed t their outer ends, except that a narrow slot, (1,

The clasp is formed of two parts, E E, the

part E having formed thereon the neck 9 and locking of the parts very much more secure than when other forms of-slots are used. But the slot '0' may have its branchescurved inwardly or outwardly, the general form thereof approximating more or less the shape of the letter V. I

The inner edge of each of the parts E E is provided with tongues f, Figs. 5, 6, and 7, which, being alternately bent outward, preferably in opposite directions, on the inside of the caps O G, firmly attach the said parts of said clasp to the said caps.

The terminal coils of the spring A abut against the tongues f when the caps are applied to the spring, and thus hold the parts of the clasp firmly in their places. I thus form a band which is very durableand convenient in use, very secure in its attachment, and which can be manufactured at less cost than other bands employing a wire spring.

I claim-.-

The combination, with the springA, of

the flexible check 12, applied to said band by winding it in or passing it through the ends a of" the loops of the spring, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The'combination, with the caps O C, of the clasp E E, respectively inserted in the slots 01 of said caps, and having attached tongues f, forfastening either part of the clasp in one or other of the said caps, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with the spring A and caps 0 O, of the clasp E E, the part E having formed therein the locking-slot z, and the part E having on it the locking-head h and neck g, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

JAMES L. MOORE.

Witnesses THOMAS BURNS, LEwIs J. COURT. 

